


The Graduation

by PumpkinLily



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brian is a supportive friend, Fluff, Freddie is waiting and nervous, Graduation, Kisses, M/M, Roger is a sweet boyfriend, Romantic Fluff, lots of smiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 21:11:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19484113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinLily/pseuds/PumpkinLily
Summary: Sort of Modern AU. Freddie is in third year of art school and - nervously - waiting for the results of his oral examination, to see if he failed or if he would finally get that sweet degree. Roger, his sweet boyfriend, and Brian, his none-the-less sweet best friend, are here to support him during the long wait.(Heavily based on the author's own graduation from art and design school).





	The Graduation

**Author's Note:**

> Just a small thing I wanted to write about the process of graduation, especially the horrible wait before you can know if you passed or failed. It's heavily inspired by my own graduation in early June this year. Then I decided to add Queen, so in this story Freddie goes through the process. Fortunately, Roger - his sweet boyfriend, because Froger owns my heart - and Brian are here to support him.

The main hallway, usually empty, was now in effervescence, filled with stools and impatient students, reunited around the room where the jury has been gathering. Especially the nine who took the oral examination today, and who will know soon enough if they would pass or fail to get their diploma. The next hour would determine their fate, but for now, they could only wait. Along with these tormented souls, other students who already graduated the day before, friends from other classes or schools, family members, teachers, were by their side, talking with them, reassuring them, stressing with them. It was around 6 PM. The results were close.

Freddie was cold. All the warmth of his body seemed to be concentrated in his hands, kept tight on his thighs, also tight against each other. That and the fact he was sitting close to a room with big windows that covered an entire wall. Someone probably let one open, allowing some draughts to flow through the hallway, but nobody seemed to mind aside from him. Despite the summer arriving in a few weeks, the weather was poor today, with wind, not very cheering grey clouds and even a bit of rain. Why couldn’t they have had a beautiful blue sky, free of clouds, and a big warm sun, like last year? 

“You’re okay, Freddie?” Roger asked, sitting next to him, with his clear and soft voice.

He stared at his knees. “Well, I’ll be better once I’ll have my diploma.” 

He only felt like breathing again once he would have the confirmation of the much awaited news.

A sigh escaped his mouth. “I just want them to tell me that I passed. After that I can…”

“You can what, die in peace? Please don’t, I would be very sad.” Roger takes his hands between his own. “We still have so much things to live together.”

Seeing his boyfriend smile affectionately managed to make Freddie smile too. He was so glad Roger had been able to come today, despite the busy end of the school year, like Brian. He really needed some emotional support.

Everyone was waiting for the door to open, for their graphic design teacher – who was part of the jury – to appear and call the first student. Nearly ten minutes has passed, and the door had stayed closed. The noises, the chatter of everyone suddenly stopped when the door finally opened. It was another member of the jury, the bearded one, not exactly the bad cop of the jury, but the persistent one, the one who would ask a punctilious question, and then use your hopefully “good” answer to ask more punctilious questions until he was satisfied. 

“In five minutes.” He announced, obviously relaxed, before going to the toilets.

Of course, grunts and “ooh!” of disappointment let themselves be heard for a second, before people went back to their various discussions. Freddie noticed he got a text from his mom, asking if everything was okay and if he got the results. 

Ah, yes, he promised he would call her after taking the oral examination, around 3 PM, to tell her how it went, but soon enough after that, he had to clean the room and take down all his works for the student who would use the room the next day. Then, he talked about his impressions on the test, but with Roger, Brian, and other people, a few of his classmates and some of his teachers. All these words and exchanges took more than two hours and a half, so Freddie ultimately decided to wait for the results to tell her everything. In the mean time, she would have to do with the simple “I’m fine, they haven’t started the announcements yet.” 

“And he tells you that with a smile.” Brian raised a brow. “What’s next, you’re tensed, trying to calm yourself for what’s about to come, and then when they walk to you they’re like “oh no false alert, we’re just going to take a smoke” before starting?”

“Actually, that’s what happened to Anna, the one who inaugurated the whole examinations yesterday.” 

Freddie confessed. “We were a little number to wait with her. That surprised us.”

“Seriously? What a first impression.”

“Please, let’s stop talking about the jury.” Roger softly warped his arms around his boyfriend, leaning closer to him, laying his head against his shoulder. “Fred here needs support”.

“Come on Freddie, you know there’s no way you’ll not get that degree.” Brian assured with a smile. “You showed them the best of your creativity, with your drawings and everything, they were all amazing and well crafted, the scenography of your space was well done and pertinent, and you told us you got by well with the examination.”

Freddie couldn’t help but blush a bit at these heartfelt compliments. “Thanks Bri, but… you know, they’re supposed to stay neutral. I think it went well, but… you can’t really know for sure.”

Roger raised his head and placed a peck on his cheek. “Rubbish. You’re going to have that degree. We’ll even frame it.”

The chatter in the hallway stopped again. The door opened, and this time, it was their graphic design teacher, smiling, inviting Laura, the first candidate of the day, to get her results. Once the door closed, people started to talk again, although in a lower voice. Freddie felt his heart starting to beat a bit faster. The announcements of the results weren’t supposed to last more than two or three minutes, so even if he was only the seventh on the list, his turn would come quickly enough.

Brian put his hand on his shoulder, a reassuring smile on his face. Freddie showed a tiny smile back. After a short moment, the door opened, Laura reappeared, overwhelmed, a smile on her face, announcing she passed. Her friends got up to hug her while everyone in the hallway congratulated her. Freddie noticed Cassandra, a girl who passed the day before, shedding a few tears to her success. He was pretty sure once he would have the news, he was going to cry too.

Quickly enough, the rest of the students went though the same process. At first, Freddie was fine, but as Lily, the girl who took the examination just before him, got up, his heart starting to ponder against his chest. He tried to breath in and out slowly, but his breath was getting short. It was his turn next. Roger felt his tension, and started to gently stroke his sides, hoping to help him destress. 

“Rog, I didn’t even think about telling my references.” Freddie practically whimpered. 

“Don’t fret. Who needs references anyway?”

“But it’s a criteria of evaluating! I had them prepared, and I didn’t even think-”

Roger cut him a soft kiss on the jaw. “Shh, it’s okay. What’s done is done. They’re going to give you that diploma, and you’ll come back to us with a huge smile. Right Brian?”

“Of course. Everyone will clap, we will all be happy for you and I’ll try not to cry.” He assured.

The door opened, Lily reappeared, too overwhelmed to talk, but a smile on her face. Everyone applauded, she received a few emotional hugs and congratulating words from her friends. Once she sat down, Freddie got up, certain his heart was going to burst out of his chest. Roger tugged at his sleeve, showing him an encouraging look, just like Brian. 

He crossed the short distance between where he was sitting and the announcements’ room, opened the door and faced the jury. He tried to show a smile, despite his nervousness, and his teacher smiled kindly back, inviting him to sit down. He obliged, tension seeping through his body. 

“Mister Mercury, you have been accepted. You can breath now.” One of the members said, a polite smile on his face.

Freddie loudly exhaled. Finally. It was over now. He had been accepted. He passed. He got that damn diploma.

The jury proceeded to talk further about his results, saying he had showed a great creativity and sensibility through his works, his explanations had been clear and comprehensible, that there was just some things he needed to consolidate with a bit more knowledge. And added that unfortunately, he didn’t tell any references, but he couldn’t care less now. 

Freddie thanked the jury and his teacher for everything, ended with wishing them a good day. He was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. He reappeared in the hallway, overwhelmed, glowing from happiness, a huge grin plastered on his face. Roger was there, with Brian next to him, an expecting look on their faces. 

“It’s all good.” He could have screamed of joy, but it was the only words he managed to pronounce before being out of breath. 

He heard people clap all around him, Brian saying his congratulations, while effectively trying to fight the tears back. But he was focused on his boyfriend, who had his heart in his blue eyes and the most loving and affectionate smile for him. He swiftly passed a hand on his eyes to dry his tears. Roger leaned forwards, and they shared a short but tender kiss on the lips.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed :) Kudos and comments are always appreciated.


End file.
